What do ya'll think?
My opinion? This guy is a jackass. He and his way of thinking is why I turned from the republican party. They claim to be the party of limited government, that is unless of course it violates "Family Values".
Nationwide, gambling is becoming somewhat of a scourge.
Bumper sticker: "I'm gambling away my children's inheritance."
"Why is it wrong for casinos to earn money off of people's greed and ignorance, but perfectly okay for Apple to do it? Why is it okay for tobacco/beer/fast-food companies to earn money off of addicting products, but wrong for casinos?"
I have somewhat mixed feelings for the people who gamble that are ignorant about the math behind the games.
Since I don't have any casino's nearby, I can't comment on their effect on their neighbors.
Quote: AlanI have somewhat mixed feelings for the people who gamble that are ignorant about the math behind the games.
I firmly believe it is your duty to know what you are getting into before you do it. I know that BJ and Craps are negative EV Games, and I still play them. Why? It is fun. Nobody is forcing these people to gamble.
We judge a great many activities by different standards. The criminal justice system never seems to get judged by the tax burden it imposes on citizens for putting minor violators in prison cells. The schools and teachers never get judged for graduating illiterates year after year. Fast food joints don't get judged by styrofoam content of the local landfill. Yet, suddenly casinos should be held accountable for all the social ills in their vicinity such as alcoholism and spousal abuse. Yes, a drunken and unemployed husband may lose his money in a casino and beat his wife, but he probably lost his job for other reasons and beat his wife for other reasons than those related to blackjack. We don't hold his employer responsible for anything but we hold the casino responsible for it.Quote: Alan
Since I don't have any casino's nearby, I can't comment on their effect on their neighbors.
Quote: VCUSkyhawkI firmly believe it is your duty to know what you are getting into before you do it. I know that BJ and Craps are negative EV Games, and I still play them. Why? It is fun. Nobody is forcing these people to gamble.
I agree, but there are some that don't have enough snap to do their duty to know what they're getting into.
I play -EV games too and yeah, they're fun.
Sure, Ma and Pa Kettle "enjoy" gambling, but the article points out that these folks, the non-addicted, occasional gamblers, are not the problem.
No, it is the addicted slot players, those poor souls whose life revolves around False Hope, that keep the casinos in a profit lock.
These gambling addicts are the problem.
Once in the throes of their addiction, their Crazy Train keeps rolling along, creating mayhem and devastation in its wake.
It's avoidable.
So, is the benefit worth the cost?
It would seem so, given the increasing spread of casinos across the land.
Backlash coming?
Then we'll probably just steal it back...
Quote: 1arrowheaddrCasinos continue to spread in the U.S. because states are tired of losing revenue to nearby states than have casinos. Indian casinos started it and the states will finish it.
I don't doubt it.
This is from a pro-gambling website, but the numbers are probably pretty accurate:
"The report says Texans gambled most of that -- $2.57 billion -- immediate neighbors-with-casinos: Oklahoma, where the report says Texans threw down nearly $1.2 billion; Louisiana, about $1.1 billion; and New Mexico, $27 million. The state-by-state figures were based on various sources "including state gaming commissions, primary field research, convention and visitors bureaus ... and other academic studies," the report says."
I'm in Texas.
Casual gamblers only contribute 4%? No addicts, no local/regional casinos? People might consider not being addicts, then.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY! People make a choice to enter the casino, the casino is a business who provides desired goods and services to its customers, as does any other business. It's a shame that the Conservative writer of this article has a GD Socialist typing this post right now remarking strongly about personal responsibility. Quite the irony, that.
Quote: VCUSkyhawkMy opinion? This guy is a jackass.
Quote: VCUSkyhawkNobody is forcing these people to gamble.
Quote: MrVBacklash coming?
These things are cyclical because the one constant throughout history is that nobody ever learns a lesson.
So in the 1910s when people were annoyed by drinkers, they figured, duh, we'll outlaw alcohol, problem solved.
The same mistake was repeated with the ridiculous War On Drugs, and eventually, gambling will once again be totally prohibited. I think it's inevitable, but I have no idea where we are in the cycle.
Who knows he/she will become addicted?
How can anyone tell that the first puff of a cigarette, the first snort of cocaine, the first bet on a slot machine will lead to addiction?
There are no tell-tale giveaways we can look at to predict our individual propensity for addiction.
The only way to make sure there is no addiction is to remove the addictive substance or activity.
Addiction would seem a statistically inevitable byproduct.
Is it worth the cost to society as a whole?
That is the issue which should be discussed.
Quote: gpac1377
The same mistake was repeated with the ridiculous War On Drugs, and eventually, gambling will once again be totally prohibited. I think it's inevitable, but I have no idea where we are in the cycle.
How old are you?
If I think you may live long enough, I will Lay 50 to your 1 that casino gambling, in all forms, is not Federally outlawed within the next twenty-five years. In fact, I will even stipulate that at least two States must have legalized casino gambling, in some form, at all times.
EDIT: But it doesn't always have to be the same two States continuously.
Quote: Mission146If I think you may live long enough, I will Lay 50 to your 1 that casino gambling, in all forms, is not Federally outlawed within the next twenty-five years. In fact, I will even stipulate that at least two States must have legalized casino gambling, in some form, at all times.
EDIT: But it doesn't always have to be the same two States continuously.
I didn't intend it as a short-term prediction. Legal gambling has been expanding for something like 100 years, so I think 100 years of decline is easily possible, and we may not have peaked yet.
Quote: MrVAh, but how can one exercise "personal responsibility" viz. addiction?
Who knows he/she will become addicted?
How can anyone tell that the first puff of a cigarette, the first snort of cocaine, the first bet on a slot machine will lead to addiction?
There are no tell-tale giveaways we can look at to predict our individual propensity for addiction.
The only way to make sure there is no addiction is to remove the addictive substance or activity.
Addiction would seem a statistically inevitable byproduct.
Is it worth the cost?
That is the issue which should be discussed.
One can exercise personal responsibility by, at the very first instance of one gambling more money than he or she originally intended to gamble that day, (unless an AP) to either:
A.) Never enter a gambling establishment again.
B.) Never enter a gambling establishment with more money than the exact amount of cash intended for the purpose of gambling, and to prevent oneself from having any immediate access to additional cash.
C.) Attempting B and failing, revert to A.
I would say that the first time someone goes, "On-Tilt," is a good sign, and speculate (emphasis on speculate) that the vast majority of people who follow one of the recommendations above will be fine, if they follow them after going on-tilt for the first time.
It may be worth the cost to remove the source of addiction, in some cases, a CBA would have to be performed in each individual case on the overall effect on the local economy caused by the closure of the establishment(s). However, in this country to remove the, "Source," of the addiction is fundamentally unfair to the business. I also put, 'source,' in quotation marks in the latter instance because it is the people who are the sources of their own addiction, not the establishment...though you could make an argument the House perpetuates the addiction.
So, yeah, in some cases a CBA might indicate it is best for the gambling establishment(s) to not be there, but in other cases, especially such as in the case of Las Vegas, that would almost certainly not be the best for the local economy.
Quote: gpac1377
I didn't intend it as a short-term prediction. Legal gambling has been expanding for something like 100 years, so I think 100 years of decline is easily possible, and we may not have peaked yet.
A bet on my great-great-great grandchild's behalf would probably not be legally enforceable, otherwise, I would offer the same terms.
Quote: Mission146A bet on my great-great-great grandchild's behalf would probably not be legally enforceable, otherwise, I would offer the same terms.
That would tempt me for sure. I haven't really studied the history, but on Wall Street they say the stock market takes the escalator up, and the elevator down. I could imagine social tolerance behaving similarly.
"Modern casino gambling is computer gambling. The typical casino gambler sits at a computer screen, enters a credit card and enters a digital environment"
Really? Where is this casino? If he got this wrong, he's obviously
never been in a casino, so why take anything he says seriously.
Quote: VCUSkyhawkI firmly believe it is your duty to know what you are getting into before you do it. I know that BJ and Craps are negative EV Games, and I still play them. Why? It is fun. Nobody is forcing these people to gamble.
Exactly and what about the 27 states that prohibit casinos? Do any of them sell lottery tickets?
Quote: tongniI much prefer the British system where a large amount of gaming is done in private clubs by the wealthy with high minimums and entry fees and a dress code.
No offense, I find this to be very elitest and snobby. It is assuming that only they, the rich, should have the ability to go out and have fun. I mean, I make a measely 40K a year... I MUST not know what I am doing.
Quote: gpac1377That would tempt me for sure. I haven't really studied the history, but on Wall Street they say the stock market takes the escalator up, and the elevator down. I could imagine social tolerance behaving similarly.
Social tolerance can move very fast. Though I find it difficult to imaging gambling being banned, nothing is impossible. Against it is the fact that lotteries go back before the founding of the USA and here we have always been a gambling people. OTOH the younger generation is preferring security to risk-talking on many levels. Many things can change in a generation. Look at the world on "Mad Men" and look at today to see a generation and a half change.
If it happened, and I don't think the odds are 3%, I don't see it at the federal level at least at first. Some casino somewhere will become a nuisance. It will be bad, falling into disrepair and be the kind of place that good people simply will refuse to patronize. The excuse will be "competition makes us cut security and upkeep" but it will be a bad place. Their gaming license will be pulled and pressure placed not to renew it to someone else. Locals will remark how much nicer it is without all the low-lifes that are no longer around. The process will repeat until people put pressure to ban casinos state-wide. Prohibition didn't happen nationwide overnight, the movement was going on for years.
But it is different with casinos. States are more addicted to the revenue than the most degenerate gambler is to betting.
Yet I do not support babying these people through handouts. They are the architect of their own demise but the casino made it possible. Nonetheless, while the casino is the best local way of parting money, there are also scratch tickets, sports betting, lotteries, poker games, and online betting that are available outside of a casino that feed addictions.
Addiction is a problem, indeed, but I think it takes personal responsibility to get out of it. Like alcoholism or anything else, there is always a segment of society who will overuse. For that, there should be programs to support the addictions but the source itself should not be banned.
Like tobacco taxes which to me is the biggest form of government hypocrisy (smoking is bad for you, but rather than outlaw it because it's absolutely unhealthy, we'll collect taxes to fund other programs), gambing, gas and alcohol taxes feed government coffers, and it will be a long time before government gets over its addiction to their taxpayer's money.
So, the writer of the article should know how to kill the casino business, if that is his goal.
Quote: treetopbuddyConservatives first priority is putting people in jail and the second priority would be blowing up countries. I'm guessing at some point a high percentage of gambling degenerates end up in jail......which should make conservatives happy. So why are they taking a hard line against gambling?
You seem to be confused. Liberals are the ones who started most of the wars the USA has been involved in. As to putting criminals in prison I am for that.
The saying goes that Republicans want to build a strong military but never use it while Democrats want to use the military but never build it.
The advertisements for this place are endless. They advertise it as if Las Vegas is in your back yard. They pound all sorts of local media all week long, but really blitz the advertising (especially radio & T.V.) from Thursday to Saturday.
What they don’t mention is that all the games are VLT programmed. Anyone you talk to that has been there have no idea what your even talking about when you bring this subject up or how bad the odds are when playing these types of games. One guy that played video poker thought when the fairy came across his screen with a magic wand and credited his machine with $5.00 that it was just his lucky day.
No offense to the people that live there but it’s in the middle of , let’s just say risky neighborhood. You certainly would use valet parking if visiting, especially with plenty of cash in your pocket.
This place is breaking all kinds of financial records. It’s blowing away any casino in Atlantic City.
I live about an hour away in Long Island and never visited it once. My son went with his girlfriend on a Saturday night just for a night out. He said it’s clean and nice inside. (just give it another year or two) He said upstairs are classy restaurants and when he went up there he could have walked into anyone he chose with no reservation since only a few customers could be seen eating with plenty of open tables. But when he went downstairs there’s a fast food chicken place that had a line twisting and turning that was so long he felt bad for the people getting on the end of it.
For an educated gambler this is a shithole dressed up in casino cloths. Not everybody that gambles know or ever heard of +ev (or) –ev. This place was designed with the sole purpose of misleading and preying on the broken down shoe, weak and the vulnerable.
Why? New York State and the lottery are involved.
+1Quote: AZDuffmanYou seem to be confused. Liberals are the ones who started most of the wars the USA has been involved in.
As usual, AZ is right on target. *thumbs up*
Quote: AZDuffmanYou seem to be confused. Liberals are the ones who started most of the wars the USA has been involved in. As to putting criminals in prison I am for that.
May seem confused but not....Rush Limbaugh Jr.
Did he feel bad enough to invite any of the downtrodden to dine with him upstairs ? Just wondering.
And your basis for this future forecast, might I ask ?
He said it’s clean and nice inside. (just give it another year or two)
Quote: BuzzardBut when he went downstairs there’s a fast food chicken place that had a line twisting and turning that was so long he felt bad for the people getting on the end of it.
Did he feel bad enough to invite any of the downtrodden to dine with him upstairs ? Just wondering.
And your basis for this future forecast, might I ask ?
He said it’s clean and nice inside. (just give it another year or two)
Maybe I gave to many details, but their taking advantage of the people in a big way.
in a year or two.
Advantage is in the eye of the beholder. Cleanliness is not !
Quote: treetopbuddyMay seem confused but not....Rush Limbaugh Jr.
Lets start from 1900:
World War 1: Woodrow Wilson (D)
World War 2: FDR (D)
Korea: Truman (D)
Vietnam: JFK/Johnson both (D)
Gulf War: George H W Bush (R)
Iraq/Afghan War: George W Bush (R)
Quote: BuzzardOf course after Pearl Habror, a Republican President would have found a peaceful solution. ROFLMAO.
I see, tell me what the great Barack Obama would have done on 09/11?
Lotteries are advertised as for "education"...yet they usually don't provide "more" money for education; they simply replace money that was needed for education prior to the lottery being started that the government can then send to other areas.
The problem with governments is that they generally are not very good at business. They weren't meant to be businesses. The farther from the people the government is, the less accountable it becomes.
Quote: AZDuffmanYou seem to be confused. Liberals are the ones who started most of the wars the USA has been involved in. As to putting criminals in prison I am for that.
The saying goes that Republicans want to build a strong military but never use it while Democrats want to use the military but never build it.
I don't have to tune in to Russ Limbaugh anymore. Just read AZDuffman's posts. Thank you AZDuffman!
Quote: BuzzardNobody was buying chicken with food stamps. Still waiting for the details that allow you to know the casino will not be nice or CLEAN
in a year or two.
Advantage is in the eye of the beholder. Cleanliness is not !
No details how or why in two years it might have a different look. Just a personal assumption.
The people were not buying chicken or gambling with food stamps, they already converted them to cash.
Welfare money used to gamble
From NBC:
Tens of thousands of New York welfare dollars have been accessed from ATMs in liquor stores, strip clubs and even Atlantic City casinos, an I-team investigation has found.
The I-team sifted through records of more than 7 million ATM withdrawals in which money was obtained using an Electronic Benefits Transfer card or EBT card.
The cards have essentially replaced traditional food stamps and are supposed to be used by New York's neediest for basic necessities like groceries and diapers.
EBT cards can also be used to access designated amounts of cash via ATM.
The I-team found more than $95,000 withdrawn in Atlantic City over nearly two years, much of it in casinos like the Trump Taj Mahal, Caesar's Palace and The Borgata.
Not gambling, not smoking, not drinking ... not attempting to give in to the American Dream?
A few bucks toward the lotto won't be missed by the kid... after all... she got the kid by not deferring sex until marriage.
A few bucks toward alcohol so as to deaden the pain of her daily life ... after all, the dole wouldn't be there is she had deferred pleasures until having achieved a better education.
A few bucks toward a package of cigarettes because her brain craves nicotine... after all, she wouldn't want nicotine if she were capable of making decisions regarding deferred health and present day actions.
Problem gamblers are a society nuisance. Casinos pretty much hate them too. Casinos would prefer Blow Job money to go into the Black Jack drop box instead. Casinos don't like headlines about problem gamblers.
Quote: Beethoven9th+1
As usual, AZ is right on target. *thumbs up*
Quote: treetopbuddyI don't have to tune in to Russ Limbaugh anymore. Just read AZDuffman's posts. Thank you AZDuffman!
Thank you all for your support!
Quote: FleaStiff
Problem gamblers are a society nuisance. Casinos pretty much hate them too. Casinos would prefer Blow Job money to go into the Black Jack drop box instead. Casinos don't like headlines about problem gamblers.
I think that casinos are similar to other places that know they have to deal with a certain element, such as:
The local dive bar that get the same few drunks in the joint 4-5 nights a week,
The check cashing store that knows people could just get a bank account,
The furniture and appliance rental store that knows their mark-up is insane,
The payday loan joint that knows loan sharks wish they could get such a vig and call the cops when the debtor doesn't pay,
All of these places offer a legit service but all of them need a steady stream of degenerates to build the business. Casinos probably far less so than the other examples. But make no mistake, casinos know their regular customers.
>I think that casinos are similar to other places that know they have to deal with a certain element, such as:
Do you think there is a difference between " deal with a certain element " and "deal primarily with a certain element"?
>The local dive bar that get the same few drunks in the joint 4-5 nights a week,
>The check cashing store that knows people could just get a bank account,
>The furniture and appliance rental store that knows their mark-up is insane,
>The payday loan joint that knows loan sharks wish they could get such a vig and call the cops when the debtor doesn't pay,
The Military and recruiter's promises.
The Proprietary Career School Diploma Mills
The Student Loan Program
>All of these places offer a legit service but all of them need a steady stream of degenerates to build the business.
I would have issues with just how legitimate and just how steady a stream. Also is it degenerates or simply the ignorant?
After all, a dive bar can kick a few noisy drunks out without going out of business.
>Casinos probably far less so than the other examples.
>But make no mistake, casinos know their regular customers.
MOST of those regular customers are not problem gamblers spending the mortgage money or trying to recoup losses in the dark shadows of a back alley. Most bookies have customers who are not problems. Most casinos have return customers who have prospered in the interim and are bringing more money with them than before and are still able to afford to risk it without letting the cat go hungry.
Oh, I see clearly now.